


Come So Far

by janetcarter



Category: Earth 2 (TV 1994)
Genre: Electrocution, Gen, Kid Fic, New Pacifica, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25508488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janetcarter/pseuds/janetcarter
Summary: Danziger never took care of himself right, and True never let him get away with it.
Relationships: John Danziger & True Danziger
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 11





	Come So Far

**Author's Note:**

> For the Hurt/Comfort Bingo prompt "Electrocution" and the Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt "Hiding an Injury."

He probably shouldda put his gloves back on, but it was just one wire. One wire that sent a shock through him as it sparked, a yelp hitting against his throat. He fell away quick, hitting the wall behind him. Smoke rose. The hallway was already dim and foggy. It didn't need the help, but he was glad for the cover if it meant no one else could see him clutchin' his hand. 

The skin was burned, there was no doubt about it. But, apart from the pain, he felt fine enough. See, when you _ can't  _ feel the pain, that's when you gotta worry. 

He hated hospitals anyway, couldn't stand 'em ever since… 

Well, he didn't need medical attention anyhow. And he certainly didn't need some doctor tellin' him he had to take a week off the job. He just needed some bandages and he'd be good as new.

He made his way back to their unit in the dingy Quad. The hallway was so narrow he always thought his shoulders might brush against both sides, and the closeness of the doors only served to boast how small each unit was. When he reached theirs, he hid his hand in his jacket pocket.

The door opened and True's shriek of "Daddy!" hit him quick. He hardly had a moment to adjust when she threw herself at him, unsteadily catching her in one arm. 

"True girl!" he shouted. "Were ya good for Alex 'n' Les?" 

"She was just spectacular," Alex said. 

He cleared his throat. "I'll be back in a few, and then I want you to tell me all about your day."

True nodded faithfully, beaming. "Okay, Daddy!" 

He hurried to the bathroom. He took some gauze out and cut it with his teeth after bandaging his fingers. 

He must not've closed the door all the way, because he next heard True's disappointed little voice yell "Daddy!"

"Aw, True," he said, hiding his hand. "I didn't want you to see me like this. Go on and play with Alex 'n' Les before their shift." 

"You have a booboo," she said, frowning.

"I do, but I'm okay. See?" he said, showing her the gauze. "Good as new." 

She pouted, but nodded, and left to play. 

"And don't barge in on people in the bathroom!" he yelled after her. He rattled the bottle of painkillers, which was almost empty, and swallowed half a pill. 

When he came back out, she was donning a full doctor costume. Her labcoat was one of his old white button-up shirts, too stained to belong to someone sterile, too big for her little shoulders, but she wore it proudly. The only other thing she had to show her profession was a cracked plastic stethoscope he'd reluctantly taped up after she found it. Despite her makeshift getup, her expression was as serious as a four year old's can go, lips pursed and cheeks puffy. 

"Okay, sit down mister!" she commanded, pointing to the tattered armchair. 

He looked up to Les and Alex, who were getting ready for their shifts. 

"Don't look at me," said Alex, beaming. "This was all her." 

"Well," Danziger said. "I guess I'm in real trouble now, huh?"

"You will be if you don't do as she says, I gather," Les added.

True nodded forcefully. "Sit." 

There was an unnerving feeling in his chest bothering him more than his hand. He still didn't like hospitals. But normal doctors didn’t have a broken stethoscope, and they didn't perform house calls out here, so he supposed he could manage just this once. 

"Aw, alright." He plopped down on the chair and gave her his hand. 

She was usually rowdy and wild, but she was amazingly gentle here. It reminded him of Ellie. She'd look at him with those bright eyes, patch him up after he tried to impress her and got himself a busted knee. Her laugh was the sweetest song he'd ever heard. Probably could've healed Syndrome kids if she'd tried. 

A sad smile tugged at his lips, and he forced himself to stop thinking about Ellie. Well, he never stopped thinking about Ellie, really, and doing so was easier said than done. But he focused on True's oversized labcoat, on the bolted floors of their unit, on the zip of Alex's jacket as she suited up. 

The stethoscope was on his heart now, like Les had showed her, which made him proud. His little girl knew how to use fancy doctor tools. 

"And whaddya prescribe?" he asked. 

"Perscribe?" 

"What kinda medicine are you gonna give me?" 

"Hmmm." She put her hands on her hips and studied him up and down before climbing up onto the chair and kissing his cheek. "All better!"

She never failed to warm his old heart when she did that sorta thing. He could almost ignore the pain in his hand, which was probably fading from the painkillers, but her affection certainly helped. 

"You're the best doctor on the station," he told her.

"I think I'm the best doctor in the whole WORLD!" she shouted, throwing her arms up. 

She almost fell off the chair with the motion, but his arm swiftly hooked around her. "Hey, easy now. If the doctor gets hurt what'll we do then?"

"Thennnnn Alex can be the doctor!" 

"Alex is about to head off to work," Alex said, laughing along with them. "But maybe your daddy could use a turn. He's obviously got somethin' to learn about first aid." 

True gasped. "Okay! Your turn, Daddy!" 

In truth, he was exhausted. He wanted nothin' more than to hit the bed and pass out for the next 10 hours. But how could he ever say no to that little face? "Alright, my turn then. But don't you go actually getting' hurt." 

True giggled and handed the stethoscope over.

-

This was a memory Danziger remembered often, even so far away from the stations. It wasn't hard though, because True often patched up his bumps and bruises at New Pacifica. She was interning alongside Julia and the rest, and she was damn good at it.

It wasn't easy growin' up the way True did. But sometimes, he looked at her walkin' around all confident, treating patients with a care and understanding that wouldda made him like doctors a hell of a lot more in the days of Ellie's accident. But he'd been just a Drone in their eyes. She'd been too. 

Here, no one cared. And if they did, True sure as hell wasn't gonna let them get away with it. Besides, she was so bright… such a quick learner, soon they wouldn't have a choice with her runnin' the place. 

"Why are you smiling, Dad?" she asked, fixing his bandage. It was actually a long leaf they'd found with similar properties. Good to have supplies that grow back. 

"Oh, nothin'. I'm just…" He let out a breath, studying how much she'd grown since those days. She'd grown a lot since they'd landed here, too, looking more and more like Ellie with each passing day. "I'm real proud of you, 'sall."

She rolled her eyes. "You're gonna embarrass me in front of Vasquez." 

"Aw, you'll be takin' over for him soon enough." 

She laughed. "Well, don't tell him that." 

That smile was Ellie's, too. 

"Alright, you're good as new!" she announced. "But don't go back to work until tomorrow."

"Sure thing."

"And if you lie, I'll know." 

"What, because the wrap'll be covered in grease?" 

"Well, that and because I know to check up on you after you leave." 

She wasn't wrong about that. "How about I stay for a bit, then, watch you work?" 

"Hmm, I'm not sure that's allowed, exactly, but if anyone asks just say you're still being seen. Technically, that's true." 

He smiled. "That's my girl." 

He watched her for a while, watched her excel at the questions Vasquez Julia tossed her way, watched her seamlessly take over for patients and never lose that compassionate touch. 

It'd been hard on the station, working all the time. But when he looked at her and everything she'd become… all the hard work she put into everything she did… 

He couldn't take all the credit. But for what he could claim, maybe he'd done something right after all. 

  
  



End file.
